Explainer: What it takes for a town to achieve city status

President William Ruto granted city status to Eldoret on Thursday, making it Kenya's fifth city.

Eldoret now joins Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nakuru in attaining city status, making it the second municipality to achieve this milestone in the post-devolution era.

City status means an urban area qualifies for more benefits, grants, and national staff and attracts more people and investment.

It must meet conditions established in the Urban Areas and Cities (Amendment) Act, 2019.

According to the Act, a municipality has to have a population of at least 250,000 people and be able to generate sufficient revenue to sustain it to qualify as a city.

The 2019 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Population and Housing Census estimated Eldoret's population at 475,716, surpassing the required threshold.

To achieve city status, a town must have an integrated urban or city development plan, as well as functional administration systems with adequate records. Furthermore, the municipality must be able to efficiently provide vital services while actively engaging residents in the management of its affairs.

Key requirements also include proper infrastructure, such as roads, street lighting, markets, fire stations, and sufficient disaster response facilities. Lastly, the town must maintain an effective waste disposal system.

Procedure for application

The Act provides a tedious procedure for application for conferment of a city status.

Section 8 of the Act stipulates that the Board of Municipality may, upon a resolution apply, to the County Executive Committee for consideration for the conferment of city status.

Where the executive committee approves the application, the County governor shall constitute an ad hoc committee to consider the recommendation and advise as appropriate.

The ad hoc panel shall comprise of relevant professionals in good standing, nominated by various institutions taking account of regional, ethnic and gender diversity and representation of persons with disability.

They include the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya, the Kenya Institute of Planners, the Architectural Association of Kenya, and the Law Society of Kenya.

Others are the Association of Urban Areas and Cities, the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya and the Business Community.

Where the ad hoc committee determines the municipality under review meets the requisite criteria for classification as a city, the County governor shall transmit the recommendation to the County Assembly for approval.

If approved, the clerk of the County Assembly shall transmit the resolution to the Senate for consideration.

For a town to be granted city status, the Senate Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations is required to give the green light.

"Where the senate approves the recommendation, the Clerk of the Senate shall forward the resolution to the President for the conferment of city status on the municipality," the act reads in part.

In the application to the Senate, the Uasin Gishu County Assembly stated it had adopted the reports of its house committee that has recommended the elevation.

The report was debated in the Senate and received unanimous approval in December 2023.

What took place

· The event started with the installation of the public seal of the Republic of Kenya, followed by a procession involving county assembly speakers.

· Consecration of state instruments for national posterity by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Chaplain

· Narration of the history of Eldoret was narrated before the governor executed the conferment charter.

· Presidential assent, presided over by the Solicitor General.

· Signing of the memento, and affixing of the public seal of the Republic of Kenya.

· Presidential proclamation declaring the Municipality of Eldoret as the City of Eldoret.

· The charter was handed over to governors from the North Rift region, accompanied by a ceremonial display of the charters.

· The host governor and the Cabinet Secretary for Lands and Urban Development received mementoes, followed by the symbolic handover of the keys to the city to the Governors from the region.

· KDF air show and then conferment of national honours.